Meet DreamKey Partners for October's #SpotlightOnCLT
The Issue
This month, we’re raising awareness about a critical issue facing Charlotte - the need for affordable housing. Charlotte has seen significant challenges related to affordable housing in recent years, including the fact that the median cost of rent rose 30% between 2015-2020, significantly outpacing income growth.
Here are some additional facts from Charlotte's Housing & Homelessness Dashboard related to Mecklenburg County:
- As of June 30, 2024, there are 2784 neighbors experiencing homelessness
- There are 103, 239 cost-burdened renters (people spending more than 30% of their income on rent, mortgage payments, and other housing costs)
- An individual making NC's minimum wage of $7.25 would have to work 125 hours each week to afford the average rent for a one-bedroom unit
We know there is significant work to be done to meet this need, and we're proud to highlight the nonprofits working to provide solutions in our #SpotlightOnCLT Guide to Nonprofits in Affordable Housing. DreamKey Partners is one of those organizations and we're so thankful that they've joined us this month as the presenting sponsor for this important issue.
Meet DreamKey Partners
SHARE Charlotte had the chance to sit down with DreamKey Partners to learn more about what they do. Here's their story....
Tell us about your mission and history:
Our mission is to transform lives and what’s possible through affordable housing! We are excited to be in our 35th year of impact in the Charlotte community.
In addition to being an affordable housing developer, we help customers achieve their goals of financial freedom and homeownership. Our HUD certified housing counselors join the journey of their customers for as long as they need to meet their goals.
We've provided 35 years of making affordable housing possible, including:
- Total down payment assistance: $30,264,404
- Number of new homebuyers created: 4,786
- Number of people counseled: 36,456
- Number of financial literacy classes conducted: 6,229
💜 There are stories associated with these figures and one belongs to Patrick...read his story below.
Why did you want to get involved as our #SpotlightOnCLT sponsor this month?
We are excited to sponsor the October #SpotlightOnCLT because affordable housing is crucial for building strong, vibrant communities! We know that the Charlotte metropolitan area has 70,498 low-income households and a gap of 45,765 available and affordable units. We believe affordable housing leads to stable communities, a reduction in homelessness, economic mobility, and generational wealth-building!
We are also want to elevate the unique work we do like the adaptive reuse of historic schools like Dillard School in Yanceyville, NC. (See our 2023 Annual Report)
Little Known Fact About DreamKey Partners:
A fun fact about us is that we are in the e-bike space! We are excited to share that we are giving away 200 e-bikes to new homeowners who participated in our program. We want to ensure that our customers have another mobility option outside of a car. It contributes to the environment and ease of movement.
How can Charlotteans support your work?
This year, we are raising funds to assist first-time homebuyers with down payment assistance. Like Patrick, the dream is not possible without assistance. Any funds donated are a direct investment into future families for generations to come.
Make a Donation!
Patrick's Homeownership Story:
My name is Patrick Crockett, and I’m proud to say that I recently became a homeowner—a reality that, for a long time, felt out of reach. Growing up in Augusta, Georgia, I never imagined owning a home in Charlotte’s Myers Park or South Park neighborhoods, places where people like my predecessors were once told, “You can’t live here.”
When I came to Queens University in 2016, I learned about the history of redlining and the deep-seated housing barriers in communities of color. One day it hit me: I was paying someone else when I could be paying myself, investing in my own future.
After graduating, I started interning with Atrium Health in their Community Engagement Corporate Responsibility department. One of my tasks was to inform my teammates about the HELP NOW program and all the resources it offers. I remember thinking, “If they can do it, why can’t I?” That’s when I decided to enroll in DreamKey’s homeownership classes and take control of my financial future.
What made the partnership between Atrium Health and DreamKey Partners so special for me was their attention to detail. I’ve worked at the Augusta National Golf Club for over ten years, where we live by the motto, “A tradition unlike any other.” The level of care and excellence I experienced from DreamKey’s team—Rosalyn Johnson, Sonya Johnson, Manuel Dubuc, Carla Scott, and D'Andria Ashe—matched that same high standard.
The financial literacy classes I took through DreamKey were a game changer. Along with everything I learned from DreamKey, I read Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover and discovered the power of the "snowball effect." All this knowledge helped me take control of my debt, and I continue to apply these strategies every day to manage my finances.
Now, I stand here as a homeowner—a dream I once thought was impossible. I’m beyond grateful for the partnership between Atrium Health and DreamKey Partners, which made this journey remarkable.
I share my story with pride!
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We are so grateful to DreamKey Partners for helping to uplift the voice of all nonprofits in the Affordable Housing cause.